Where have you been?
by Sixteens
Summary: She thought she was alone... she had no idea how wrong she was. "Excuse me, Professor McGonagall, but why is my supposedly dead father on the front page of Daily Prophet?"
1. I:A letter

_**Chapter 1**_

_**A letter**_

**I**t was cold. Lea wasn't surprised, she was used to the cold; the orphanage where she grew up was almost always cold. She couldn't sleep when she was cold, which was probably the reason for her pallid face and the blueish shadows under her eyes. She tossed and turned, but failed to fall into sleeps' clutches.

She sighed in resignation and drew herself to a sitting position. If she wasn't going to fall asleep, at least she could do something, like reading, to fill her time until it was time for breakfast. She glanced out of the window and saw that the sun was just rising above the skyline, which meant that the matron would be knocking on her door in about an hour or so.

She grabbed the rumpled book from the small desk by the window and walked back to her bed, where she settled comfortably and opened her much beloved book. It was surprising when Lea took such a liking to reading English classics. Not only was she really bad at concentrating on anything, but she was also supposed to be very young to fully understand the concept of some of the books.

But she loved them, and they were her only escape in the grim orphanage. She had a few friends there, but none of them were really close. Everyone there was so miserable, so resigned to their faith. She had she just couldn't stand to spend a lot of time around such dark people.

Even thought she'd been in the orphanage since birth, she still had underlying faith and optimism in her bright future. It might sound arrogant, but she always thought something greater was waiting for her out there. She couldn't name it, but she had had the feeling since she was five, when she accidentally turned the matron's hair purple when she insisted Lea ate her peas.

A smile pulled at her lips at the memory. A lot of strange things happened around Lea, especially when she felt some kind of strong emotion, like anger or happiness. The other children thought she was odd, and some feared her, but others thought she was very cool, and most of the time they tried to persuade her do some more of her cool tricks. She did once or twice, but most of the time it came accidentally, sometimes in the most inconvenient of times.

She chuckled softly when a memory floated in her mind; she was nine, and she had to serve punishment for pushing Betty Vaught from the swing – hey, it was all Betty's fault – and the matron was explaining to her how to clean with the mop, and Lea hadn't been paying attention as usual, which made the matron angry. She started to shout, and the bucket of soapy water had somehow floated in the air and turned over the matron's head, pouring all its contents over her.

The matron had been so startled and angry that she lifted Lea's punishment and had let her go. Since then, the matron had been more cautious around Lea, and had started to watch over Lea personally in case she showed any signs of doing anything unusual again.

A knock startled her out of her thoughts and she looked at the door curiously. It couldn't be time for breakfast.

The door opened and the matron, Ms Higgs, walked inside. She was a tall, bony woman with shrewd blue eyes and blonde hair always pulled into a tight, stern chignon bun.

"Hello-" But Lea's greeting was interrupted when another person walked inside her tiny room. She blinked once, not sure if what she was seeing was real. The elderly man was certainly odd. He had very long silvery white hair and beard, and was dressed in the most eccentric piece of clothing she had ever seen. His striking, twinkling light blue eyes peeked at her from behind his half-moon glasses and she suddenly felt at ease.

"Lea, you have a visitor. This is Mr. Dumbledore." Ms. Higgs said as she gestured to the man at her side.

"Hello." Lea said, setting side her book. She crossed her legs Indiat-style, ignored the matron's glare at her "inappropriate" choice of sitting, and gestured at the desk chair. "Have a seat."

Mr. Dumbledore smiled pleasantly and took a seat on the rickety chair.

"I'll leave you two alone." Ms. Higgs muttered, giving Mr. Dumbledore a suspicious glance before leaving the room.

"How do you do, Lea?" Mr. Dumbledore asked.

Lea shrugged. "Just reading. What can I do for you, Mr. Dumbledore?"

Mr. Dumbledore smiled and his eyes twinkled even more. "Please, call me Professor Dumbledore. I work at a school called Hogwarts. I am here to offer you a place at my school."

Lea's eyebrows rose to her hairline. "Really? Why offer _me_ a place in your school?"

"I knew both your parents-"

"You knew my parents?" Lea asked eagerly, her light grey eyes filling with interest and excitement. "Who are they?"

Mr. Dumbledore smiled sadly, and Lea's heart dropped a little. She had suspected they were dead; she had been found in a wreckage of a house, after all, but Dumbledore's smile confirmed her worst fears.

"Let me rephrase that." She said quietly. "Who _were _they?"

"They were very bright, some of Hogwarts' best students." Professor Dumbledore smiled. "They loved you very much, Lea. Do not forget that."

Lea swallowed and nodded. "Yeah…"

"Hogwarts is a very special school." Professor Dumbledore said, his smile lightening slightly. "It is a school for people with special abilities." Lea's eyebrows rose once again. "It is a school for magic."

There was silence as Lea processed it. "Is… is magic what I can do?"

Professor Dumbledore's face darkened slightly, confusing Lea. She hurried to explain. "I mean, a lot of strange things happen around me and, well, I once floated to the top of the tree to take the football ball. That is magic, isn't it?"

"Yes, Lea, this is magic." Professor Dumbledore said, his pleasant, light demeanour back. "You will have the chance to study it if you choose to accept your place at Hogwarts."

"Of course I accept." Lea exclaimed, laughing happily. "I can't believe this is happening! I always knew I was different but this…"

"This is your letter. You will find the list of books and everything else you will need for school inside." He handed her a yellowish envelope.

She looked down at it, and bit her lip. "I don't have any money…"

Professor Dumbledore continued to smile. "Worry not, child. Both your parents have left you more than enough."

"Oh…" Lea smiled softly. "Thank you, Professor." She told him sincerely, clutching her letter tightly in her hands.

"There is no reason to thank me, Lea. Professor McGonagall will come tomorrow morning to collect you and help you find everything you need." He stood up, and Lea stood up with him. "I expect to see you on September 1st."

"You will." Lea said confidently, her eyes twinkling happily.

"Until then." He nodded, smiled and left.

"Goodbye." She said softly as she closed the door after him and leaned against it. She looked at the letter in her hands and pressed it to her chest.

_She knew it!_


	2. I:Diagon Alley

_**Chapter 2**_

_**Diagon Alley**_

**L**ea was up and ready to go in the crack of down the next day. She fidgeted with the letter in her hands – she had read it at least fifty times since she woke up – and paced nervously up and down her small room.

The clicking cloak hanging on the pale, bare wall said 7:13, which was probably too early for this Professor McGonagall to come and take her. She sighed and sank down on her bed, but her feet continued to rap against the floor nervously. What to do? What to do…

Aha! She'd read. She always got distracted by a nice book. She nodded to herself and got up on her feet, but just as she was about to grab Persuasion from her desk, the door opened.

Miss Higgs stood at the threshold along with a tall, stern woman dressed in a dark, elegant coat and long dress. "Lea, you have another visitor." Miss Higgs sounded confused, and a little grumpy. She fixed the woman beside her with a glare, but the woman paid her no heat.

"Hello!" Lea greeted brightly. "Miss Higgs, this is a teacher from the school I told you about yesterday." Miss Higgs hadn't believed Lea yesterday when she told her about Hogwarts, especially when she refused to give her the letter Professor Dumbledore had given her.

Miss Higgs frowned slightly and looked Professor McGonagall up and down appraisingly. "I see." She said at last.

"Good morning, Miss Black." Miss Higgs looked at Professor McGonagall, startled. Lea was known just as Lea around the orphanage, because no one had any information on her parents. "I trust you slept well?" Professor McGonagall's hawk-like eyes fixed on Lea's face and she nodded quickly.

"Perfect." She said with a grin. "Are we ready to go?"

"If you are ready, Miss Black, then by all means we are ready to go."

"Off we go then!" Lea exclaimed brightly. She grabbed her thin grey jacket and threw it over her T-shirt. She tucked her letter down her pocket and followed the two women into the hallway. "I'll see you later, Miss Higgs." She told the matron.

"Don't be late." Miss Higgs said sternly, but there was a hint of concern in her eyes.

"I won't." Lea promised.

Miss Higgs nodded and straightened, her eyes clearing of any emotion. "I will walk you out."

…..

"This, Miss Black, is Diagon Alley."

Lea stared around her in absolute amazement. She had never seen anything quite like that. The street would look like any other shop street in London, if it wasn't for the shiny brooms displayed on the windows, the caged owls, and moving posters stuck on the walls.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Professor McGonagall asked as she led her down the street.

Lea nodded, speechless.

"We will visit Gringotts first." Professor McGonagall said, nodding at a few people who greeted at her. Lea felt rather out of place in midst of all the wizards and witches dressed in cloaks and robes.

"Gringotts?" Lea asked, eager for knowledge.

"The wizarding bank." Professor McGonagall answered. "Your parents' families both have special vaults there."

Lea blinked. "Really?"

Professor McGonagall nodded. "Yes, they both came from old, wealthy pureblood families." At her blank look, Professor McGonagall sighed. "Pureblood families are the ones from purely magical heritage, meaning every member of the family has been magical. That is rarely true and doesn't say anything about your magical abilities."

"I see." Lea said with a nod. "Professor McGonagall… what about my grandparents? Are they alive?"

"They are not." Professor McGonagall said, sending Lea an apologetic look. "Your grandfather on your father's side, Orion Black, died in 1979 and his wife, Walburga, followed him six years later. Both your grandparents on your mother's side were killed in 1979. You don't know, but in the years you were born, the wizarding world was at war. This is the reason your parents are gone now."

"They were killed as well." Lea stated. Professor McGonagall nodded. "Who killed them? Do you know?"

"We don't know names." Professor McGonagall said. "We have a few suspects, but nothing more. I'm sorry, Miss Black."

Lea sighed. "It's alright. Professor… can you tell me my parents' names? Professor Dumbledore didn't tell me yesterday."

"Of course. Their names were Mabel Sawyer and Sirius Black."

"Sirius…" Lea smiled. "That's a funny name."

"For a funny man." Professor McGonagall replied, and Lea couldn't help but notice how her eyes darkened slightly. She decided not to ask, and she had a feeling that even if she did ask, she wouldn't get an answer.

"We almost reached Gringotts. Look ahead, you'll see it."

Lea looked up and felt her jaw drop at the magnificent sight. Gringotts was a tall, imposing building made of snow-white marble that towered over the neighbouring shops. "It's beautiful." She breathed.

"It is." Professor McGonagall agreed. "When we walk in, don't stare. Goblins do not like to be stared at."

"Goblins?" Lea asked in a hushed whisper as they climbed up the grand marble staircase.

"Goblins are the creatures that own and control Gringotts, Miss Black. They are very easily offended and I will ask you to leave the talking to me." Lea nodded quickly and held her breath as they walked inside.

Gringotts didn't fail to disappoint from the inside as well. They walked into a vast, brightly lit marble hall – about a hundreds of strange-looking small creatures were sitting on high stools behind a long counter, doing their work; such as weighing coins and gems in brass scales and examining valuable, precious stones through eyeglasses.

Lea tried hard not to stare at the goblins, but they were _strange. _They looked tiny, with ugly, pointed faces and long, talon-like fingers. It amazed her that they managed to get anything done with those fingers, especially when they handled such small objects like coins on daily basis.

"Don't stare, Miss Black." Professor McGonagall said quietly next to her, just as one of the goblins looked up from his work and stared straight at Lea.

She looked away quickly and forced herself to stare ahead. Professor McGonagall led her to a miraculously free goblin at the end of the counter, and together they waited for him to finish reading through the parchment in his hands.

"Good morning." Professor McGonagall said once the goblin had put his parchment down. "We have come to visit one of the old vaults. Miss Black here will give you some of her blood."

The goblin rose slightly from his seat and looked down at Lea with beady eyes. "Doesn't Miss Black have a key?"

"No, we'd like to fashion her keys for two vaults; Vault 711 and vault 689."

"Very well." The goblin said curtly as he settled back on his stool. "Miss Black, if you will-" The goblin extended his long-fingered hand and waited. Lea stared up at Professor McGonagall, who reached out and took her hand, placing it in the goblin's hand.

"Ouch!" She yelped when she felt a sharp pain in her finger. She stood on her tip toes and grimaced when she saw blood pooling from a small cut in her index finger. The goblin turned over her hand and let the drops fall on two separate pieces of parchment.

She sucked on her finger when the goblin released it, and attempted to look at the parchments but the goblin snatched it out of her eye sight. "Which vault will you be visiting today?"

"Vault 698." Professor McGonagall said confidently. "This is your mother's vault." She told Lea, as the goblin shuffled with something behind his counter.

"Miss Black's keys." The goblin said, placing two small, golden keys on the counter in front of Professor McGonagall. "I will have someone take you down to both vaults. Bogrod!"

Bogrod was yet another goblin. As he passed by Lea and McGonagall, Lea noticed he was at least a head shorter than her. They followed him through one of the many doors leading off the hall and Lea blinked as she was greeted not by marble, but by a dark narrow passage way lit by flaming torches. It led downward and there were thin railway tracks on the floor. The goblin whistled and a small cart hurled up the tracks to them.

Professor McGonagall helped her climb in, and when they were all into the cart, it started to move. Lea mirrored Professor McGonagall and gripped the edges tightly as they speeded down the tracks. She tried to keep track of the many turns they made, but it made her head dizzy so she stopped. The cart seemed to be moving on its own because Bogrod wasn't steering it.

Finally they stopped sharply by one of the many doors in the passage wall and Professor McGonagall hurried to get out of the cart. Lea climbed out on her own and grinned. She rather liked the cart, even if it made her feel a bit dizzy in the head and queasy in the stomach.

Professor McGonagall handed one of the small golden keys the goblin had given her to Bogrod. He plunged the key in the small key hole and the heavy door swung open. A lot of green smoke came out, causing Lea to cough, but it soon cleared and revealed a staggering amount of gold.

"I rather not go in." Professor McGonagall said as she handed her a leather money pouch. "There are enhancements put on everything, and only a member of your family can touch anything in there without activating them."

"Oh, okay." Lea said with a nod and walked into the dark vault. She was even more shocked when she saw the whole size of it, and the rest of the fortune that belonged to her family. There were mounds of gold, silver and bronze coins, but not only that. There were piles of treasures by the wall; golden goblets, silver and bronze armours, glinting jewellery, small bottles full of liquids in all kinds of colours, weapons – she even caught a sight of a golden crown encrusted with emeralds in a glass box on one of the shelves. "All mine?" She whispered to herself as she walked over a large pile of golden coins.

She reached out, a bit cautious due to Professor McGonagall's words about the enhancements. What If she wasn't a Sawyer? But the blood test the goblin made seemed to be positive…

She shook her head, along with her worries, and grabbed a handful of the coins. She waited with bated breath, but nothing happened. She looked at the exit and saw Professor McGonagall standing there.

"Hurry up, Miss Black. We don't have all day." She chided and Lea nodded quickly, stuffing handfuls of coins in the back. "Take some of the sickles and knuts too." Professor McGonagall said. "The silver and bronze coins." She explained when Lea gave her a confused look. "The golden coins are called Galleons, the silver ones Sickles and the bronze ones Knuts. Seventeen sickles make one Galleon, twenty –six Knuts make a Sickle – you'll learn soon enough. "

Lea nodded along as she moved around the vault and stuffed the coins in her pouch until it was hard for her to tie it close.

"I think that's enough." Professor McGonagall's voice rang in her ears and she nodded. She took one look around the large room and walked outside. The door closed almost immediately after her. "You can give me that if it's heavy." She said to Lea, gesturing to the overstuffed pouch in her hands. Lea nodded and handed it to Professor McGonagall, who took it in one hand. "Come on." She said, and gently pushed Lea forward with her free hand.

…..

"Let's go to Madam Malkin's first." Professor McGonagall said as they left Gringotts. "It's where you'll get your robes fitted." She explained automatically.

"Oh, okay." She said, trying not to show her disappointment too much. She wanted to buy her wand first, but she supposed she could wait.

Professor McGonagall led her into a small shop with a sigh saying "Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occassions". A short, middle-aged witch dressed from head to toe in forest green greeted them with a smile. "Minerva!" She exclaimed when she saw Professor McGonagall. "How are you, Professor?" She asked, using the title rather teasingly.

Lea watched as Professor McGonagall's thin lips twitched into a small smile. "I'm fine, Magnolia. I'm here because of Miss Black."

Lea looked over to them and smiled. Madam Malkin tore her startled look away from Professor McGonagall and fixed her light blue eyes on Lea. "Miss Black, is it?" Madam Malkin asked, her face melting into her earlier warm smile. "Why don't you follow me?"

Lea and Professor McGonagall followed her at the back of the shop, where another witch stood. She was much younger, but looked like Madam Malkin and had the same sunny disposition. "Hogwarts?" The witch asked brightly as she helped Lea onto the footstool and took off her jacket. "My, my, aren't you a pretty thing?" She asked as she ruffled a bit of Lea's long black hair. "What's your name?"

"Lea." She answered, staring at herself at the mirror. She looked sickly pale next to the young witch, who had a healthy creamy colour to her skin.

"What a pretty name!" Madam Malkin said as she suddenly appeared beside her shoulder. She handed a folded piece of clothing over to the young witch, who unfolded it quickly and slipped it over Lea's head.

"I'm Selene." The young witch said as started to pin the right length of the long black cloak they had forced Lea into.

Selene continued to chat to Lea, while Madam Malkin talked to Professor McGonagall, who suddenly looked much less tense and stern. They were ready in no time, and Lea left with a heavy bag, which Professor McGonagall immediately took from her hands.

"Next stop is Flourish & Blotts – the bookshop." Professor McGonagall said as they maneuvered their way through the thick throng over people. "I noticed you had a few books in your room. Do you like to read?"

"Only things I'm interested in." Lea replied as she looked around curiously. She felt like she wouldn't ever get sick of the sight. "Otherwise I'm dreadful at concentrating. Miss Higgs used to give me pills for that, but nothing really helped."

"You don't have to worry about that, I suppose." Professor McGonagall said after a slight pause. "Your father was the same."

Lea looked up quickly, but Professor McGonagall seemed interested in something else and didn't meet her gaze. "We are here." She said, and Lea looked ahead. They stood in front of a small, slightly lopsided shop with a wooden sign above the upper windows, which were covered with banners of a smiling blonde wizard, who winked cheekily at Lea, making her wrinkle her nose slightly.

"Gilderoy Lockhart…" Lea read out loud. "He seems important."

"Hardly." Professor McGonagall scoffed by her side. "Thank Merlin we came her earlier, otherwise we'd have to fight our way in. Come on."

Lea followed her inside and stopped by the first bookshelf she saw. "Professor McGonagall?" She called, looking away briefly from the books with the moving covers. Said woman turned around and raised her eyebrows at Lea. "Can you get my books while I have a look around? You won't need the list, will you?"

"No, of course not." Professor McGonagall answered with a sigh. "Be careful and don't leave the shop!"

Lea nodded and watched as the Professor disappeared further inside the shop. She grinned to herself and grabbed a brand new, leather-bound book with silvery text at the front saying "Curses and Countercurses" by Professor Vindictus Viridian. It looked like a helpful book, and she rather liked the introduction, so she hugged it to her chest and plunged deeper into the shop.

She picked a few more books she liked until she was interrupted by Professor McGonagall, whose hands were full of books. To her slight disappointment Professor McGonagall insisted they left, and once she had paid at the counter, the two of them left.

She bought her pewter cauldron (she was disappointed she couldn't get a golden one, or at least silver…), scales for weighing potion ingredients and a brass telescope next, and the basic potion ingredients from the shop next door, which smelled absolutely terrible. Lea was glad when they left and walked into the shop across the street, which smelled much better. She bought parchment, a few quills and a few bottles of ink and left quickly with Professor McGonagall, finding nothing particularly interesting in the shop to gawk at.

By the time they walked into Eeylops Owl Emporium, Lea's stomach had started to growl angrily. She pressed a hand to her empty stomach and gave Professor McGonagall an apologetic look. In all the excitement, she forgot she hadn't gotten any breakfast this morning.

"It's alright." Professor McGonagall said. "We only have Ollivanders left."

Lea nodded and focused her attention on the animals around her.

"You can only a toad, owl or a cat. Choose wisely. A lot of children buy owls these days, and I'll not deny they are useful but-"

"I want a cat." Lea interrupted her, her eyes on a small, pure white cat in a cage at the far end of the shop, beside the cash counter. She quickly ran up to the cage and shoved her face closely to the bars. The cat looked up and stared at Lea with intelligent, yellow-green eyes. "I want this one."

"Oh, that's a smart choice!" An elderly witch said as she suddenly appeared behind the counter. "This breed of cats is very intelligent and loyal. They make the best pets, and aren't they just gorgeous?"

"Yes." Lea said with a nod, a smile pulling at her lips. The cat slowly made its way to the bars and her small, wet nose touched Lea's own between the bars. She giggled softly and patted the cat's head with two fingers.

"How much?" She heard Professor McGonagall ask.

"Nine galleons." The witch answered happily.

"_Nine galleons-?"_

"I'll take it!" Lea said, interrupting Professor McGonagall once again. She looked up at the Professor, her mouth a firm line. "I want this cat, Professor. I have more than enough money anyway."

"You shouldn't spend your money so freely, Lea." She said with a slight frown, but it was obvious she was going to give in.

"I won't!" Lea promised. "But I want this cat."

''Alright." Professor McGonagall said finally, nodding. "We will take the cat."

The witch grabbed the cage from the shelf and handed it to Lea, who hugged it tightly. The cat rose on two legs and tried to scratch Lea's nose, which was peeking between the bars. Lea giggled softly at her new pet's playful antics.

"She doesn't have a name yet." The witch said as she took the galleons Professor McGonagall spilled on her counter. "We got her just a week ago."

"It's a she!" Lea exclaimed, delighted. "I will think a pretty name for you." She promised the cat.

"Alright, Miss Black, we're ready." Professor McGonagall said as she put away Lea's significantly thinner money pouch. "We only need to get your wand and then we'll go to the Leaky Cauldron and have lunch."

Lea perked up immediately at the mention of the word "wand" and left the shop with an extra skip to her step. The wand's shop was small and shabby looking, with peeling gold letters over the door reading: Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.

"Whoa." She breathed as she saw the date.

They walked inside and heard an echoing sound of a ringing bell from somewhere in the depths of the tiny shop. She looked around in wonderment and was met by thousands of narrow, black boxes piled up to the ceiling. Professor McGonagall took a seat on the only chair in the shop and waited.

Lea looked at her and opened her mouth to ask where Ollivander was when a soft voice cut through the silence.

"Hello." Lea jumped and whirled around.

An old man was standing before her, his eyes even paler then Lea's, shone through the darkness of the tiny shop. "Ah, but you look familiar, young lady." He said. Lea shifted slightly under his curious gaze and thankfully, he looked away from her. "Minerva McGonagall – why, it seems like only yesterday when you came here to buy your wand! Nine and half inches long, stiff, made of fir and with a core of dragon heartstring. I trust it has worked well for you?"

"Excellent, in fact." Professor McGonagall answered, not quite smiling.

"And now, this young lady is here to buy her first wand as well. What is your name, dear?"

Lea hesitated slightly before speaking. "Lea Black."

Ollivander started, and looked down at her. His pale lips formed a small, enigmatic smile.

"Now, which is your wand arm?" He asked as he took out a tape measure from his pocket.

Lea's eyebrows furrowed. "Well, I'm right-handed…"

"Hold out your arm. Ah, that's it!" He measured her from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round her head. Finally, he was over and put his tape back into his pocket. He hummed softly as he turned around and walked over to the large pile of boxes, his fingers hovering above them.

"Aha, try this one. Unusual combination; Ten and half inches made of hazel with a core of phoenix feather. Powerful and stringy – excellent for casting hexes and countercurses."

Lea picked up the wand from the box and fell warmth spread all over her body. The wand started to emit sparks and a faint glow, which illuminated Ollivander's surprised face.

"Oh, a wand hasn't picked an owner that quick in many years!" He exclaimed. "Curious, very curious…"

Professor McGonagall spoke before Lea could ask what was so curious.

"How much, Ollivander?" She asked she took out Lea's money pouch.

"Eight galleons." He answered distractedly, his eyes still fixed on Lea.

Professor McGonagall put the right amount on the counter and placed one hand on Lea's shoulder. "We'll be going now. Have a good day, Ollivander!"

"You too, Minerva."

Lea walked out of the shop, carrying her cat's cage and gripping her new wand in her other hand. She could still feel the warmth in her hands. "Is it weird that my wand picked me so quickly?"

Professor McGonagall glanced down at her and shook her head. "No, of course not. Why would it be weird, Miss Black?"

"I don't know." Lea shrugged. "Mr. Ollivander seemed really surprised and interested…"

Professor McGonagall smiled thinly. "He's like that, Miss Black, nothing to worry about. Now, let's go to the Leaky Cauldron – I can hear your stomach growling."

Lea blushed slightly and followed Professor McGonagall through the busy streets. She fingered her wand then looked down at her cat, which now lay sleeping and smiled to herself.


	3. I:New Beginning

"Let's sit here, Miss Black." Professor McGonagall said as soon as they walked in the Leaky Cauldron and spotted an empty table. It was even more crowded than when they first came in, and Lea was left to wonder how could this small pub fit so many people at once.

She followed Professor McGonagall to their table and sat down, looking around her curiously. There were all sorts of people surrounding her, and she spotted one wizard who was dressed in a bizarre get up. Well, more bizarre that the rest. It looked like he had made an effort to look like a Muggle but he seemed to lack the knowledge of muggle fashion and clothes because he had ended wearing a positively ghastly yellow and purple striped shimmering shirt and black leather trousers and on top of all that, he was wearing a beige trench coat and a yellow cap.

Lea stifled her snicker and turned to Professor McGonagall, who was staring at her with a thoughtful look on her face. "Is something wrong, Professor?" She asked anxiously, but Professor McGonagall shook her head.

"I was just thinking, Miss Black. Where is Tom?" She looked around, her sharp green eyes searching the crowd for this Tom person.

"Right here, Madam." Lea turned around in her chair and saw a short, bald old man with hunched back and a toothless smile. "What would you like to order?"

"Ah, Tom, please bring me a glass of gillywater." Professor McGonagall said then turned to Lea.

"Er," She looked up at Tom, who looked expectantly at her. "Um, do you have hamburgers?" She asked tentatively.

"Hamburgers? Really, Miss Black?" Professor McGonagall looked exasperated but Lea was not stepping down.

"I've never tried them! I'm curious!" Lea defended herself and turned back to Tom, who nodded.

"Oh, alright, and I guess you won't have coke?" She asked.

"I'm afraid not, Miss." Tom replied.

"She'd have cherry syrup with soda, Tom." Professor McGonagall said, putting an end to Lea's musings. Tom nodded and retreated towards the bar. Lea turned around in her seat and smiled a little awkwardly at Professor McGonagall who didn't smile back.

"Now, I assume you have questions." The Professor said, eyeing Lea shrewdly.

"Yes." Lea said, excitement and anticipation seeping through her. "I was wondering if can tell me more about my parents?"

Professor McGonagall raised her eyebrows. "I would have thought you'd ask more about the magical world but so be it. Your parents were very bright students, liked and loved by a lot of people. You mother was especially good in Transfiguration and Herbology, if my memory serves me right. She was a nice girl, a bit unruly at times, but I guess your father wouldn't like her if she wasn't?" She said all that with a straight face, although her features had softened slightly. Lea smiled to herself; finally, she was hearing something about her parents that didn't involve Betty's usual jabs about how her parents had dumped her because she was a freak.

"What about my dad?" Lea asked, watching closely for Professor McGonagall's reaction.

A muscle in Professor McGonagall's jaw twitched before she spoke. "Your father was... he was a troublemaker, to start with. He and his friends constantly wrecked havoc in the school and found it as an accomplishment when they managed to get the raise of everyone else. I do believe he had a contest going on with his best friend; about who'll get the most detentions until the end of the year." The Professor smiled thinly. "Your father won, just by a little bit, but I daresay Mr. Potter's attention was slightly diverted during the contest by outside sources."

"Outside sources?" Lea asked curiously.

"There may have been a girl..." Professor McGonagall said, looking like she was restraining herself from chuckling.

"Oh," Lea smiled a bit. "I see. When did my dad and mom get together, then?"

"I'm not privy to such personal information but as far as I know, your parents were never officially together; they were very close friends, would give their lives for each other, but I'm not entirely sure if they were... a couple."

Lea blinked. "So, they weren't married or anything?"

This time, Professor McGonagall chuckled. "Your mother was twenty when she got pregnant with you, Miss Black, and marriage was the last thing on their minds during those times." Her face darkened, her eyes glazing over as if overcome with memories. "Of course they agreed they'd raise you together. There was no a silver of doubt in them that they were going to keep you."

"And look how well that turned out." Lea said bitterly, looking down at the chipped wooden table.

"You aren't to blame for their deaths, Miss Black. A lot of people died during those years of war; people who didn't deserve it in the least. But just remember that they fought so you and your generation and the generations after you could live in peace, without any fear. This was a noble death, regretful, but noble nonetheless."

"I wish I knew who killed them." Lea said, suddenly feeling angry. She looked up at Professor McGonagall, her face contorted with both pain and anger.

"What could you possibly do, even if you knew, Miss Black?" Professor McGonagall asked in a slightly patronizing tone, looking at her carefully.

Lea shrugged. "I don't know. I'd think of something as I go."

Professor McGonagall shook her head, a small smile on her face. "I think I know where you'll be sorted."

"Sorted?" Lea asked curiously.

"One hamburger, cherry syrup with soda and a glass of gillywater." Tom said, suddenly appearing by Lea's side. She barely managed to stop herself from jumping in the air at his sudden, startling appearance. He put the plate with the hamburger and her pink drink in front of her. Once he had finished serving them, Tom bowed slightly in Professor McGonagall's direction and left for the bar. Lea took the hamburger carefully, careful not to squeeze it too much and turned her gaze on Professor McGonagall.

"In Hogwarts, there are four houses. Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. Each house values different traits. Gryffindor values bravery, chivalry and nerve, Ravenclaw values brain, thirst for knowledge and wit, Hufflepuff values the hard-working and loyal and Slytherin values the sly, cunning and ambitious. Each house has its own noble history and has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your housemates would me something of a family to you; you'll have classes with them, share meals on the same table with them, share a dormitory with girls your age, and spend your free time in the common room."

"Your accomplishments will be awarded with points for your house, while any rulebreaking will lose points." Here, Professor McGonagall treated her with a stern look. Lea stopped chewing and tried to smile innocently. "At the end of the year, the house with the most points wins the House Cup, which is a great honour to any house."

"What house were you in, Professor?" Lea asked. She looked like she might have been in Ravenclaw, but one could never know.

"I was a Gryffindor, Miss Black. In fact, I am now the Head of Gryffindor house."

"Oh, where were my parents sorted?" She asked in a quieter voice.

"They were both Gryffindors, Miss Black." Professor McGonagall said.

Lea nodded. She ate another bite from her burger and put it down on the plate. "Can you tell me more?" She asked eagerly, her eyes shining hungrily. She didn't want to dwell on her parents now, especially when she was with the Professor, who could tell her so much about the new strange world she was entering.

"Of course. I imagine you'd be interested to hear about Quidditch." At Lea's clueless, but still curious look, Professor McGonagall smiled thinly. "Quidditch is a sport, as popular as football is in England, and just as beloved. It's played on broomsticks—" Lea's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. "There are two teams consisting of seven players. Chasers, beaters, seeker and keeper. The chasers are three and they are the ones that score the goals. There are three goal posts, and the keeper keeps all three of them. The beaters handle the bludgers, two rather violent balls. They shot it at the players on the opposite team, to keep them from scoring or taking the snitch, which is the ball the seeker is after. After the seeker catches the snitch, the game is over. That is a rather short description of the game, you can always borrow Quidditch Through Ages from the library. On that note, if you want to learn more about Hogwarts, you should read Hogwarts A History, the whole book."

"The whole book?" Lea asked faintly, the image of the rather sizable book invading her mind.

"Yes, the whole book." Professor McGonagall repeated, with a glint of sadistic satisfaction at Lea's horror in her eyes.

"Right." Lea said. "Can't you just tell me more yourself?"

But her efforts were futile and she knew it. Professor McGonagall shook her head and took out a golden watch from her coat's pocket. "We must be going soon, Miss Black. I have other business to attend to and you need to get ready for school." She nodded at the cauldron full with all of Lea's books, causing the black-haired girl to gulp slightly.

"Right." Lea grabbed her burger again and started eating more quickly.

"Do chew, Miss Black. I think I can wait for you to do that, at least." Professor McGonagall said, sounding amused.

Lea's cheek turned a rosy colour but she slowed down and started eating at a normal pace.

"Do you I think I'll do well? I mean, I know next to nothing about the magic world and all those other kids probably were raised—"

"You will do well, Miss Black." Professor McGonagall said confidently. "There are a lot of muggle borns every year in Hogwarts, who know even less then you do, and they do just fine."

"If you say so." Lea said a bit dubiously. She ate the rest of her burger and drank her cherry syrup to wash it down. "Well, I'm ready."

Professor McGonagall nodded and called Tom to pay him. She paid for both her and Lea and when Lea opened her mouth to protest, Professor McGonagall shot her a reproachful look, which shut her up immediately.

"Come on, Miss Black." Professor McGonagall said as she stood up. "Let's get you home."

...

Lea couldn't sleep the night before September 1st; surprise, surprise. She tossed and turned, but nothing seemed to work and she soon gave up. She was used to getting very little sleep, and it didn't bother her as much as it should have.

Instead she turned on the lights, dragged the large new trunk she and Professor McGonagall had purchased in Diagon Alley a couple of weeks ago from underneath her bed and opened it. Professor McGonagall had exchanged some wizard money for muggle money and they both went shopping for some muggle clothes, because the ones Lea had were all old and second-hand. Now her large trunk was full with clothes and books, and it filled Lea's heart with warmth and happiness as she gazed at it.

Professor McGonagall had put a charm on her books to look like any ordinary schoolbooks for a muggle child, in case Miss Higgs or someone else decided to have a look around her new things. She grabbed the first book she came across and dug through her clothes to the bottom of the trunk where her wand was.

Once she had everything she needed, she climbed back on her bed and lay on her stomach, propping her pillow up, so she could put her book on it and have an easier view of it. She tapped the book twice with her wand, and it immediately transformed in its true, leather-bound glory.

She read until the sky got light blue and the sun was low in the sky, by which point Miss Higgs appeared on her door with a knock. Lea quickly tucked her wand and book under her pillow and hurried to throw the covers over herself.

"Lea, wake up." Miss Higgs said as soon as she walked in.

Lea opened her eyes and she pretended to yawn. "What time is it?" She asked in a slightly sleepy voice as she sat up.

"Half past eight." Miss Higgs said as she crossed the room and opened the window. The sound of birds chirping immediately filled Lea's ears and she smiled. "I let you sleep in a bit today because you're leaving."

"Thanks."

"Everyone is in the dining hall. You should hurry up before your breakfast gets cold."

"Alright." Lea said with a nod.

"Do you need help packing?" Miss Higgs asked.

"No, I'm ready but thanks for offering." Lea said with a smile. Miss Higgs was being strangely helpful this morning, and Lea had suspicious as to why.

"Alright." Miss Higgs said with a nod. "I'll see you in the dining hall."

"Bye." Lea made sure she was gone before she jumped off her bed. She dragged the trunk from underneath her bed again and threw the Tranfiguration book and her wand inside, before she closed it shut. She had left clothes for herself on the desk chair and quickly dressed up. She went into the small adjoined bathroom and brushed her teeth and washed her face, then began the long and tiring battle with her hair. If she didn't love it long, she would've already cut it thousand times for all the trouble it caused her in the mornings.

The dining hall was full, as usual. Lea grabbed a tray and walked over to the buffet table, which was almost empty. She sighed and grabbed a jar of marmalade and two French toasts and left for her usual table.

"Hey guys!" She greeted brightly as she took her seat.

"Hey…" Terrance Boyd, a skinny thirteen year old boy mumbled, munching on his cereal. "How is your morning?"

"It's great." Lea said with a smile. She noticed her friends' gloomy looks and her excitement deflated slightly. "Hey, guys, what's up?"

"You're leaving today." Lizzie Johnson, the one Lea considered the closest out of all of her friends, stated as if it should've been obvious and it kind of was.

"Oh…yeah…" Lea dropped her French toast and looked awkwardly around the table. All of her friends attended the local state school and neither of them liked it much. They all thought Lea was going to a prestigious boarding school where she'd be pampered like a princess. She couldn't blame them for being a bit bitter. "But we'll see each other again!" She said, trying to inject some excitement in them. "I have to come back next summer."

"Fantastic." Lizzie mumbled sarcastically, rolling her brown eyes. She was rather plain in appearance, but was very smart and perceptive. Lea avoided talking about Hogwarts or anything related to it in her presence and despite the charms Professor McGonagall had put on her books, she still refused to let her in her room.

Lea frowned slightly. "Aren't you guys happy for me?" She asked sadly.

"Of course they aren't hobbit!" The familiar catty female voice made Lea groan and her friends frown deeply. Lea turned around in her seat and came face to face with Betty Vaught – the girl she pushed off the swing when she was nine – and the rest of her posse. Betty had a pointed, haughty face, skinny frame and cold, sly eyes. She grew to be very spiteful and hateful toward everything, and she liked to make everyone around her as miserable as she. Her favourite target was Lea, of course. Lea still thought she hadn't gotten over the swing accident. "The next few months you'll be having the time of your life while they sit and rot here in this hell hole." Betty rolled her eyes. "I can smell the spite and bitterness oozing off them." She licked her lips and smirked. "It's delicious."

Lea wrinkled her nose. "God, Betty, can you just shut up and leave me alone for once? I'm starting to think you have an obsession with me."

Betty snorted derisively. "Please, Morgana, don't flatter yourself."

Lea froze slightly at the nickname. Betty gifted Lea with that particular nickname when she stumbled on her doing accidental magic. Since then, she had tried to convince people that she was a witch in the making, a wicked creäture send from the deepest pits of hell to destroy them all. Who knew Betty was actually right all along? Well, without the wicked part.

"There must be reason you feel the need to pay me a visit every single day, Betty." Lea said with a slight roll of her eyes. "Maybe you're the one who's drowning in spite and bitterness. Oh, wait, we already knew that."

Betty's face contorted. "You have no idea what you're—"

"Oh, don't I?" Lea asked, narrowing her eyes. Suddenly she felt much braver and ready to stand up for herself. All those years she let all Betty's insults and jeers roll of her like nothing, dimming it all as useless babbling of a desperate soul, but not today. Today Betty was getting no mercy. "_You_can't stand the fact I'm getting out of here, can you? It eats you from then inside knowing that I'll have a better life then you, doesn't it? You know you'll stay here, forgotten and forever unsatisfied with your life while I go out and make my mark on the world. It's painful, isn't it? I've told you before, Betty – what goes around, comes around. " Lea smiled contemptuously and added softly. "And you know you deserve this, don't you?"

"Shut up!" Betty roared, face scarlet. She pressed her hands to her ears to block out Lea's mocking laughter. "_Shut up!_"

"Lea!" Lizzie snapped, and Lea turned over to look at her. She didn't seem amused, unlike all the times they insulted Betty behind her back, quite the contrary, she looked angry. "What the hell has gotten into you?" She asked waspishly. "Since you got the news for that school, you've been acting completely different."

"What?" Lea gasped, her jaw dropping. "That's not true! I've been the same!"

"No, no you haven't." Lizzie said, shaking her head with her eyes narrowed. "You've been distant and distracted. You barely talk to us anymore – all you ever do is sit in your room, in which, we're all of a sudden forbidden to go into. What's with that anyway?"

"It's nothing." Lea said quietly. "It's alright – I get it. You just can't be happy for me, can you?" She sighed deeply and stood up, shaking her head at her so-called friends. "Whatever, I'm leaving soon and you won't have to bother with me anymore." She turned around and ignored Terrance's stuttered pleas to wait. She glared at Betty and her friends she passed them and marched out of the Hall with her head held high.

…..

"I can take care of myself from here, Miss Higgs. _Honestly._" Lea sighed in annoyance as she dragged her trunk behind her, glancing at Miss Higgs who walked briskly by her side, holding her cat's cage. "I told you Professor McGonagall will be here to help me get on the train and all that."

"I want to talk to Professor McGonagall, Lea." Miss Higgs snapped in a voice as brisk as her walk. "Where is she going to meet you?"

"Between platform nine and ten." Lea mumbled, wondering how they were going to get out of this. Miss Higgs obviously insisted to stay until Lea had boarded the train and was well on her way to her new school. She couldn't, though, even if they let her. Professor McGonagall said no muggles could get on platform nine-and-three-quarters. Lea still had some doubts about this magical platform, but Professor McGonagall had no reason to lie and she certainly wasn't the type to joke – so her doubts and worries were most likely unfounded.

"There she is." She heard Miss Higgs say. Lea looked up and saw Professor McGonagall standing right in the middle of the two platforms, dressed once again in an elegant coat and dress. "Good morning, Professor!" Professor McGonagall had insisted Miss Higgs called her that instead of her name, and Lea could see Miss Higgs was rather irked about it.

"Good morning, Miss Higgs, Miss Black." She said with a nod. "Do you wish to speak to me?" She asked as she turned to Miss Higgs, who nodded curtly.

"Yes, you left in a hurry the last time we saw each other and I couldn't ask anything, and Lea has proven to be absolutely useless in answering any of my questions." Miss Higgs directed a displeased glare at Lea, who just shrugged.

"What would you like to know, Miss Higgs?" Professor McGonagall asked as she quickly glanced at the large clock over the arrivals board. Lea had about fifteen minutes to get on the train.

"Where is this school? What about vacations? How did she even get into your school in the first place?" Miss Higgs crossed her arms over her chest and waited patiently, or impatiently as her foot kept on tapping the ground.

"The school is in Scotland. We have winter and Easter breaks and, of course, summer breaks. Miss Black can stay in the school during the winter and Easter break, as do the rest of the students, but she must go back home during the summer. She had a place in our school since birth, her parents made sure of it." Professor McGonagall said all that calmly, but Lea noticed how her hand disappeared in his pocket and reappeared again with a shiny wooden stick in it. "I assure you that Hogwarts offers the best education in Britain, and you won't have to worry about her well-being at all, the school is well-guarded and secure."

"I see." Miss Higgs said at least. Lea breathed a sigh of relief when she saw she seemed content with the information. "Alright, this is enough, I think. Lea, didn't you say something about your train leaving in eleven o'clock? We have to go if you don't want to miss it!"

Lea's eyes were on Professor McGonagall's wand. She looked up at Miss Higgs and saw her clear blue eyes get hazy and unfocused for a moment, before they cleared again. She looked down at Lea and gave her a small smile. "Take care of yourself, Lea. I will see you next year."

Lea blinked. "Are you leaving?"

Miss Higgs frowned and nodded. "I'm afraid I have to go. I'm needed back at the orphanage, I can't remember why, but I'm sure it is something important." She sighed, her confused expression disappearing along with it. "Goodbye, Lea, Professor McGonagall."

"Bye." Lea said quietly.

"Goodbye, Miss Higgs." Professor McGonagall said with a blank face, taking the cage casually from Miss Higgs' arms. She acted like she hadn't just performed magic on muggle, something she had warned Lea very sternly against doing.

Once Miss Higgs was safe out of earshot, she arched her eyebrows at Professor McGonagall. "That was interesting."

"No." Professor McGonagall said as she whirled around and started to march toward the barrier. "It was necessary. Now, we make sure on one is watching us and run straight into the barrier. Don't think about it, don't slow down – just run. I promise you, you won't crash."

Lea tore her wide-eyed gaze from Professor McGonagall and stared at the dividing barrier. It seemed crazy and yet somewhat fitting. She smirked slightly as she thought about how magical people did things right under everyone else's noses and no one noticed anything. She guessed magic was a huge plus to have when you were trying to keep a whole community hidden.

"Now, Miss Black."

Lea gripped her car tighter, took a deep breath and ran straight toward the barrier. She did as Professor McGonagall told her; she didn't hesitate and she didn't slow down – she ran into it blindly. She did close her eyes as she neared it though, but opened them as soon as smoke filled her nostrils and loud noises filled her ears.

She stared wide-eyed at the scenery in front of her and smiled largely.

Little did she know that by arriving on the platform on this very day, she sealed her fate.

* * *

The story is undergoing revision and editing. This is the newly edited chapter :) Hope you enjoy it.


	4. I:Sorting Hat

The platform looked like any other platform. It was just as wide and just as busy and overcrowded. But the thing that set it apart were the people hustling and bustling around; their strange clothing, the wands they were brandishing, the owls in the cages. But at the same time, the picture they made were familiar; parents hurrying to get their kids on the train on time, younger siblings giving tearful goodbyes. Lea smiled a little sadly as she spotted a family of three, a small girl was being hugged tightly by her mother.

"I can get on the train on my own, Professor." Lea spoke just as a tall man bumped into Professor McGonagall, causing her nostrils to flare. The Professor looked at Lea and opened her mouth to argue, judging by the look on her face, but Lea beat her to it. "No, honestly, I can take care of myself from here. I will see you at Hogwarts, all right?"

Professor McGonagall sighed. "Alright. Keep out of trouble." She said the last part sternly, and Lea laughed.

"Of course I will!" She said, but Professor McGonagall didn't look very assured. Nevertheless, she put Lea's cage on top of the trunk and with a swish of her wand, bound it to her trunk. "Thanks!" Lea said with a grin. "Bye, Professor!"

Lea managed to get to the train fairly quickly and the man by the door helped her get her heavy trunk on the train, cancelling one of her worries. She moved along the narrow aisles of the train, peering as nonchalantly as she could in each compartment. She tried not to look as nervous as she felt and straightened her spine confidently. She stopped when she come upon a compartment hustling with activity. Two redheaded boys, identical twins judging by their faces, were throwing fireworks around, laughing along with everyone else in the compartment as they formed different things. Lea's cheeks coloured slightly as the fireworks took on an inappropriate form and she hurried down the corridor before anyone had noticed her staring.

A few compartments down the corridor, she found a girl with bright red hair struggling to get her large, shabby trunk in the overhead compartment. She was even smaller than Lea in stature and Lea wondered who she'd managed to lift it as far as she had. "Hey, do you need help?"

The girl turned her face around and agonized brown eyes peered at her from behind a mess of red hair. "Yeah." The girl panted. "Help would be wonderful."

Lea released the handle of her trunk and climbed on the bench next to the girl, grabbing the trunk by the sides. "Heavy." Was the only thing she said as she took a deep breath and lifted the trunk as much as she could. She sighed when she saw it was on a level with the overhead compartment, and helped the girl push it into it. Her arms dropped to her sides and she plopped down onto the bench, releasing a heavy sigh.

"Sorry about that." The girl said as she pushed her hair behind her ears and sat down, cross-legged next to Lea. "My stupid brothers all left, and I had to deal with this on my own." She scowled and shook her head. "Oh, I'm Ginny, by the way. Ginny Weasley." The girl stuck her hand out and Lea smiled as she shook it.

"I'm Lea Black, nice to meet you. Would you mind helping me with my trunk as well?"

"Oh, of course not." Ginny jumped on her feet. "You helped me, didn't you?"

Together they managed to unbind the cage from the trunk and put the one into its place.

"Oh, is that your cat? She's beautiful." Ginny smiled at the white cat, which Lea had decided to name Spade. (Yesterday when she played with her, she found a spade shaped birthmark on Ace's tummy, and decided that her name would be Spade. Yeah, she wasn't very original but the name suited her cat just fine. Even if it was a bit boyish…)

"She is, isn't she?" Lea smiled as she unlocked the cage and Spade sprung out of it, jumping right on Lea's lap. She chuckled and scratched her behind her ears.

"What's her name?" Ginny asked, reaching out to touch her.

"Spade." Lea squeezed Spade's slightly when she heard her hiss slightly when Ginny's hand neared and the cat relaxed slightly, letting Ginny pet her gently on the head.

"You're a first year, aren't you?" Ginny asked, cutting the slightly awkward silence.

Lea nodded. "I'm very excited."

Ginny grinned. "Aren't we all?" She stood up and walked over to the window. Her eyes searched for something but she soon sighed. "Ah, well, it looks like mom and dad had moved down the train." She shrugged and took her previous seat. "I've been waiting for this moment ever since my oldest brother left for Hogwarts, so saying I'm excited it's an understatement."

"Oh, I found out about it a couple of weeks ago." Lea said. "But I think it's safe to say that I'm not just merely excited either."

Ginny blinked owlishly. "You're a muggle-born?" She asked, sounding surprised and curious.

Lea's brow furrowed. "No, I don't think so." Seeing Ginny's confused look, she sighed and elaborated. "My parents were both magical, but I never knew them. They were both killed when I was just a baby. I grew up in a muggle orphanage and that's why I didn't know about Hogwarts."

Ginny looked both apologetic and sympathetic. "Oh… I'm sorry."

Lea waved a hand dismissively. "It's alright. I mean, I never knew them so I can't miss them, right? You can't miss what you never had."

Ginny looked awkward and Lea grimaced. Maybe she shouldn't have said the last part?

"You said "your stupid brothers". How many brothers do you have?" Lea asked in attempt to defuse the awkward tension.

Ginny's face relaxed into a smile almost immediately, although her brown eyes didn't lose the slightly sympathetic spark. "Six." Lea's eyes widened at the number. "Yes, a lot, I know. They are all prats but I love them. I wish I wasn't the only girl, though. And on top of that I'm the youngest one as well. It's a nightmare sometimes, I swear. My mum still acts like I'm five and my brothers all have this weird "bro pact" which main rules are to not allow me to be happy and have my own opinion ever. Or until I'm thirty, as Ron likes to say. As I said, prats."

Lea smiled slightly. "It sounds like they care a lot about you."

Ginny grimaced and rolled her eyes. "Too much, if you ask me."

Lea smiled and poked her stomach. "You know you like it."

Ginny shrugged and didn't try to deny it. "Yeah, yeah I do. Where do you want to be sorted? Oh, you know about the Houses, don't you?"

Lea nodded. "Yeah, Professor McGonagall explained all to me. Well, my parents were apparently in Gryffindor, which does sound like a nice house but I'm not sure if I qualify for it."

Ginny frowned slightly. "Well, sometimes the sorting goes with the families. If your parents have been in Gryffindor then there is a high chance you'd be there too. My whole family has been in Gryffindor and I'd die if I don't get sorted there."

Lea perked up. "Really? Cause I really want to be in Gryffindor – it would be like… something from my parents, you know? A piece or something."

Ginny nodded. "Yes, I understand. Well, let's hope for the best, but I'm sure we'll both get sorted there."

"Yeah, let's hope so.''

After the initial rush of excitement and worry, then the whirlwind of making a new acquaintance, the rest of the train ride seemed remarkably mundane. Lea and Ginny both learned lots from each other, each explaining details of the worlds they had grown up in. Lea rather liked Ginny. She was vivacious and bold, and she seemed like a cool person to hang around with. Plus, she was a potential dorm mate.

Just as the evening was beginning to turn the sky a pale blue and purple, a boy appeared on their doorstep. He had red hair and very serious disposition, with chest puffed out to show the shiny badge pinned to his chest. "Ginny!" His serious expression cracked into a slight smile. His eyes flickered to Lea, and his face went serious again. ""Hogsmeade Station straight ahead," he said, leaning in with an air of brisk purpose. "You should be getting into your robes."

"Alright." Ginny said. "We'll manage on our own." She said in a sarcastic voice when she saw the redheaded boy wasn't moving.

"Oh, right." He nodded and straightened. "I must be going now." And he disappeared down the corridor. Lea heard the door of the compartment next door open and the redheaded boy saying the same thing to the people in there.

She turned to Ginny. "One of your brothers?" She asked, already knowing the answer.

Ginny nodded and grimaced slightly. "Percy – he's a prefect and _very_proud of it."

Lea chuckled. "I see. So, how about these robes, huh?"

They had a lot of fun getting Lea in her robes. Since Lea could make no sense of them, Ginny had taken it upon herself to help her, but Lea continued to put everything backwards, causing Ginny to laugh and do the same.

Their fun was interrupted by Ginny's brother, Percy, who looked horrified as he walked into their compartment again. He told them off briskly, which immediately ruined their happy, playful mood, and disappeared again with a promise of coming back to check if they had dressed properly.

"Git." Ginny said with a roll of her eyes. "Come on, let's fix you up before he returns."

But Percy never returned. The train soon stopped and both Ginny and Lea walked over to the window and stared outside in wonder. Lea could see an outline of a great building in the distance, and she asked Ginny if that was Hogwarts.

"Yes!" Ginny exclaimed happily, grabbing her hand. "Let's go. Don't worry about your things!" She shouted as she dragged her outside out of their compartment. They joined in the great throng of students but due to their smaller size, they managed to make their way outside quicker.

As soon as they stepped outside they heard a loud, gruff voice shouting. "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"

Lea's eyes widened when they fell on the giant man standing the distance, already surrounded by a few first years. "That's a _large_man." She remarked, still staring at him in wonder.

"Yeah, I know. That's Hagrid, my brother Ron told me all about him. He's the Keeper of the grounds or something like that." Lea looked over at Ginny, who just smiled. "Ron said he's really nice."

"Alright." Lea nodded and took a deep breath. "Let's get going then?"

Ginny nodded and they went to join the growing group of first years around Hagrid.

"C'mon, follow me – any more firs' years? No? Follow me!"

Slightly stumbling, they all followed Hagrid down a dark, narrow path. Lea looked around but she couldn't see anything except for the darkness surrounding them.

"Hogwarts is jus' round this bend here." Hagrid shouted over his shoulders. They all braced themselves for their first sight of the school.

Lea gasped along everybody else as the school – no, the castle – came into view. The castle, adorned with many towers and turrets, stood atop of a rocky hill and was surrounded by a great expanse of green grounds. The galaxy of windows dotting the castle lit warmly and brightly glowed like stars in the dark night. Lea believed that Hogwarts was the most beautiful sight she had ever laid eyes on.

"Four on a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Ginny and Lea made for the first boat they saw and settled on it, side by side. Slowly, everyone else moved and they were joined by a small, mousy-looking boy and another, scowling girl with very pale skin and hair like a long, dark shiny curtain.

"Hello!" The boy greeted brightly, clutching a camera in his hands. "My name is Colin. Colin Creevey. Isn't it amazing?" He breathed, looking at the castle in the distance with awe. "Have you ever seen something so cool? I know I haven't." He raised his camera and took a picture of it.

"It is beautiful." Lea said with a nod.

"Yes, my parents always told me it's magnificent, but they never went into a great detail." Ginny shook her head, gazing up at the castle.

"It's not _that_ impressive." The scowling girl said. Only she wasn't scowling anymore. She was blinking up at the castle with an expression that said she was trying to figure out what exactly was so great about it. "I mean, it's just a castle." She shrugged and turned to face them. "I don't see anything special about it."

"Who are you?" Ginny asked rather waspishly.

The girl rose her eyebrows coolly and replied with an air of haughtiness about her. "Alexia Blishwick. You?"

"Ginny Weasley." Ginny replied, her eyes assessing the girl sitting before her.

Lea cleared her throat. "I'm Lea Black. Nice to meet you, Alexia."

Alexia's eyes flew over to Lea and she looked her up and down. "Black, did you say?"

Lea nodded slowly. "Yeah. Why?" She bit her lip. Did this girl know something about her parents or someone else from her family?

"Oh, nothing." Alexia said, but her piercing blue eyes had a shrewd, calculating look in them. "I'm just curious, that's all. I didn't know there were any Blacks left."

Lea blinked. "Oh, that. It's normal - I didn't grow up in the wizarding world, so..."

Alexia nodded, looking disinterested once again. "Are you a muggle-born?"

Lea shook her head. "No."

"Black.." She heard Ginny whisper next to her. She turned to look at her, and when the redhead noticed her staring, she shook herself out of her trance and smiled. "Sorry. The name is very familiar."

"My great-grandmother was a Black." Alexia said suddenly, looking at Lea again.

"Oh." Lea said, surprised. "So we're related." She stated, looking curiously at Alexia, who nodded.

"Yes. You're related to Weasley as well, I think. I am too. We're all related. Distantly, thankfully." She said the last part with a grimace and a roll of her eyes.

Lea looked over at Ginny, surprised. "We're related?"

Ginny shrugged, looking unconcerned. "We might be. I don't know my family tree by heart but since all the pureblood families are somehow related to each other - then I'd go with yes."

"Am I the only one who thinks this is weird?" Colin said, causing all three girls to turn and look at him. He blushed slightly and shrunk into his robes. "I mean, you guys just met right? Well, it's weird that you are all related and...stuff." He shrugged uncomfortably. Apparently, he wasn't good under pressure.

"You think that's weird?" Alexia asked with a snort. "What about those families who inbreed and marry their own cousins just to stay pureblooded?" Alexia rolled her eyes again, her face twisting in disgust. "Black's family over there is a prime example of that. Orion and Walburga Black - second cousins. Maybe that's why your family is full of nutters. The inbreeding finally kicked in."

"Shut up!" Ginny snapped, glaring at Alexia. "Do you have any tact at all?"

Lea blocked them out as they started to bicker. Her grandparents were cousins? How messed up was that, really? It was a miracle Lea hadn't been born with extra toes or something. That was just wrong. Morally and biologically speaking.

"Heads down!" Hagrid's shout made Lea jump, then bent her head lowly as they went through (She heard Alexia snap at Colin "Down, Creevey! Didn't you hear?" ) curtain of ivy. They reached the shore of the cliff, and Lea craned her neck so she could take in the whole castle from upclose.

They all climbed out of the boats and followed Hagrid through a narrow passageway in one of the rocks, and came out at last on the smooth, apple green fields surrounding the castle. Hagrid continued across the field and up a slight of stone steps that led them to the giant, oak front door.

Lea neck hurt from turning so quicky and so much in all directions. She was just so curious; she wanted to see everything and know everything.

Hagrid raised his large fist and knocked three times on the castle door. The doors swung open at once and there stood Professor McGonagall, dressed in long, emerald green robes and black, witch hat. Lea's face broke into a smile, although it was a little weird to see the Professor finally dressed as a proper witch.

"Is everyone here?" She spoke in a clear voice, her green eyes travelling over the large group of first years. "Thank you, Hagrid." She said after a slight pause. "I will take them from here."

She whirled around and they followed her inside. Lea's mouth opened slightly as she took in the sheer size of the entrance hall. It had a slightly mediaval feeling to it, what with the stone walls and the flaming torches the only thing that provided light. They followed her across the stone wall, and to Lea's disappointment they passed the magnificent marble staircase that seemed to be leading to the upper floors. Professor McGonagall showed them into a small chamber and they all huddled together nervously, whispering to each other and peering around.

**"Welcome to Hogwarts,"** said Professor McGonagall. **"The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room."**

Lea tuned out the rest, she had already heard it all.

Once she was finished, Professor McGonagall eyes travelled around again, and her eyes lingered pointedly on a few people who quickly hurried to fix their appearance. Her eyes fell on Lea, who only grinned widely and puffed up her chest slightly - to show that she was properly dressed. She thought she saw Professor McGonagall's lips twitch, but she couldn't be sure.

"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."

"She sure knows how to make a lasting impression." Lea said with a smile as soon as Professor McGonagall left.

"Yeah. Fred and George are always complaining that she ruins their fun."

"She looks like someone who shouldn't be crossed." Colin said nervously.

"Are you scared, Creevey?" Alexia asked, her voice adopting a slightly teasing tone. Lea glanced at the dark-haired girl and smiled slightly. She might not be so bad after all. "We know you're not going to be a Gryffindor then."

"Where do you want to be sorted?" Lea asked curiously.

"Who? Me?" Alexia shrugged slightly. "I'll be okay with any house beside Hufflepuff. If I get sorted there, althought it's highly unlikely, I'll probably defect or something. I won't be able to bare the shame."

Lea frowned. "What's wrong with Hufflepuff?"

"Nothing." Ginny said just as Alexia said "Everything"

Alexia rolled her eyes and leaned forward, whispering lowly. "Hufflepuff is full of spinless pushovers. It's the house that accepts _everyone._If you're not good enough for the other three houses, then you go in Hufflepuff. I don't know about you but I certainly don't want to be one of those losers."

"Uh-huh." Lea nodded slowly, not knowing what to say.

Alexia smirked. "It's alright - you can say it. You don't want to be there either. But I'd be surprised if you did. The Blacks have been in Slytherin for generations - well, except for a couple of exceptions, but they didn't turn out much better anyway. You're probably going there."

"But my parents-"

"It doesn't matter, really." Alexia cut her off. "The Hat is more inclined to sort you in the house your family is usually sorted then any other house. Don't worry, my family has been in Slytherin almost as long as yours. We might get to be dorm mates, after all."

"I-" Lea sighed and shook her head. "We'll see, won't we?"

"No wonder I don't like you." Ginny said suddenly, glaring at Alexia. "You're a born Slytherin."

Alexia snorted. "I can't say I like you either, Weasley. Plus, I never said I _want_ to be sorted in Slytherin. I just said that I'll most likely end up there because of my heritage. I can't help in what family I'm born in, can I?" Her eyes narrowed at Ginny, and she seemed to be challenging her in some way.

"Of course." Ginny replied curtly. "My mistake."

Lea glanced at Colin, who looked just as confused as she did. She decided not to interfere, though. It looked like they needed to get it out of their systems anyway.

"Form a line," A sharp voice said. "and follow me."

They all quickly formed a line. Lea stood behind Alexia, with Ginny behind her. She felt like she should be standing in between them, just in case. They followed Professor McGonagall back across the hall, and through the set of double doors, and into the Great Hall.

Lea thought that she'd already gotten used to the breathtaking beauty of the castle, but she was proved wrong once she walked in. The Great Hall was large, with four long tables full of hundreds of students grinning, laughing and chattering loudly. At the front of the hall was a long table on which sat all the teachers and smack in the middle, the headmaster. Lea's eyes were drawn immediately to the ceiling and for a moment she thought there wasn't a ceiling at all. She was staring at a perfect representation of the night sky, the deep blue and purple heavens dotted with glowing, golden stars and off the right, right above the table with the gold and red banners was the crescent moon.

They all lined up at the front of the hall and stared up at Professor McGonagall who stood tall before them, with a scroll of parchment with one hand and a small, rickety stool by her side. Lea's fell on the dusty, patched black hat on the stool and she smiled in anticipation.

After a lot of whining and complaining, Lea had managed to get Professor McGonagall to tell her how the sorting went. She felt much more confident than, say, Colin, who was trembling next to her, his wide, bug eyes looking around the hall nervously.

The silence was deafening. Lea looked around and wondered why no one was moving and they all looked like they were waiting for something. She followed everyone's gazes and found herself staring at the Sorting Hat again. Suddenly, a rip at the bottom formed like a mouth and the Hat began to… sing.

Lea burst into applause along with everybody else once the hat was over with its song.

"Whoever enchanted that hat should've given it a better singing voice." Alexia grumbled next to her.

But Lea was too surprised to reply. Professor McGonagall hadn't told her about the singing part. She shook her head and smiled slightly – it was certainly a pleasant surprise. She soon joined the loud applause and watched as the hat bowed to each table and became still again.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward and unrolled the parchment in her hands. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted-"

"Ackarman, Theresa-"

A brown haired girl stumbled onto the platform and put on the hat as she jumped on the stool. A moment of silence and then-

"Ravenclaw!"

All the tables burst into applause, but one of the tables was noticeably more excited. Theresa lifted the hat, put it back on the stool, then ran over to the loudest table and took a sit, smiling happily.

Two other students followed before it was Lea's turn. Stephen Anderson went to Ravenclaw, while Sophia Avalon went to Gryffindor.

"Black, Leandra!"

Lea blinked, startled at the name. She had always called herself Lea because that was the name sewed onto the blanket the police had found her in. Shaking her head, she pushed through the people and walked on the platform. She turned around and sat down, and she had a second to see everyone's staring faces – especially the green and silver table – before Professor McGonagall put the hat on her head, which fell over her eyes.

"Oho! Black, are you? What a surprise! I thought I was done sorting you lot. Oho, yes, yes, I know the exact place for you. Quite a lot of courage you have, child – just like your mother and especially like your father. Rather reckless, he was. I remember he was quite bold, too. You're clever, but Ravenclaw is not the place for you, is it? You don't like studying that much. And logic does escape you sometimes. Yes, yes, there is only one place for you, my dear and it is – ""

"GRYFFINDOR!"

A relieved smile appeared on her face as the hat's voice boomed into her ears. She lifted the hat off her head and handed it back to Professor McGonagall, than she proceeded to run over to the Gryffindor table, which was clapping and whistling in a rather rowdy fashion. She looked over to her fellow first years and saw Ginny giving her a wide grin.

"Save me a seat." She mouthed. Lea grinned widely and nodded, plopping down on the bench next to an older student. She caught Alexia's eyes and despite her earlier words, she seemed genuinely happy for her.

"Blishwick, Alexia!"

Alexia straightened and made her way on the platform, sitting regally on the small stool as if it was a throne. Lea noticed her eyes flickering to the Slytherin table and crossed her fingers.

Alexia's sorting took long, much longer then it took with Lea. But finally the Hat seemed to come to a decision.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Lea laughed and started to clap and cheer along with the rest of her house. Alexia joined them, her happy smile transforming her face completely.

"I almost didn't get here." She said as she took a seat beside Lea. "But after I threatened the hat repeatedly to not put me in Slytherin, it decided that I'm brave and foolish enough anyway, so why not put me where I belong?" She grinned. "I think I impressed it."

Lea laughed. "I bet you did."

Colin joined them soon, along with three other boys and a girl. Finally, it was Ginny's turn.

The hat had barely touched her head before it shouted "GRYFFINDOR!"

They all burst into applause, and the redheaded twins down the table clapped and cheered the loudest of them all. Lea guessed they were also Ginny's brothers.

"That was easy." Ginny said as she took a seat opposite of Lea.

Any further conversation was subdued as Professor Dumbledore rose to his feet and spread his arms widely, his face beaming at them. "Welcome!" He boomed. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! I imagine you are all famished as myself, and the announcements can wait for the end, so let the feast – begin!"

Lea heard gasps around her and turned around, her eyes widening as she saw all the food covering the table. Everything looked and smelled so delicious that she hardly dared to reach out and take anything.

Her new friends had no reservations however. They all started to fill their plates amply and when Ginny noticed she wasn't moving, she gave her an odd look.

"Hey, Lea, come on. The food will finish soon!"

Lea shook herself out of her trance and nodded. She pilled roast chicken, mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables on her plate and she, along with everybody else, dug in with fervor.


End file.
